Baked Cauliflower Au Gratin

Fresh cauliflower mixed up with an easy to make cream sauce and topped with Gruyere cheese! Perfect compliment to all your meals and wonderful for any Holiday side dish!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Total Time 1

Servings

Calories 268kcal

Author Kathi & Rachel

Ingredients

8 cups cauliflower florets about 3 pounds
4 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup flour
3 cups milk 2 percent or whole
1 cup Gruyere cheese, grated Swiss is a great substitute
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

For Topping

1/2 cup panko crumbs regular bread crumbs would work too
1/3 cup Gruyere cheese, grated
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Separate cauliflower into florets and either steam for 5 minutes or boil in large pot of water for 5 minutes, until just barely tender. Drain and set aside.
In sauce pan, melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Add 1/3 cup of flour and whisk until smooth and mixture is bubbling.
Add milk and continue to stir until thick. Add one cup of gruyere cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir until melted. Sauce should cover the back of a spoon.
Pour 1/3 of the sauce into an au gratin baking dish or baking dish about that same size. 10 x 10 approximately. A 9 x 13 can be used as well but the casserole will be a bit thinner.
Place par cooked cauliflower on top. Sprinkle with salt.
Pour remaining sauce onto of cauliflower.
For Topping - combine melted butter, gruyere and bread crumbs in small bowl. Sprinkle on top of cauliflower.
Bake for 30 minutes or until top is crispy and cauliflower is tender.

Notes

Substitute swiss cheese or any other big flavored cheese in place of gruyere.
Do not use fat free milk. Whole milk is best. 2% in a pinch.
Par cook the cauliflower until just barely fork tender, careful not to over cook.

Nutrition